View source for Chris Knights

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1986}}
{{distinguish|Christopher Knight (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Chris Knights
| image = Chris Knights.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = 
| fullname = Chris Knights
| nickname = Knighta
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|09|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne, Victoria]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = Waverley Blues (Vic)/[[Vermont Football Club|Vermont]] (Vic)/[[Eastern Ranges]]
| draftpick = 56th overall, [[2004 AFL Draft|2004]]<br/>{{AFL Ade}}
| height = 186 cm
| weight = 84 kg
| position = Half-forward
| statsend = round 3, 2015
| years1 = 2005&ndash;2012
| club1 = {{AFL Ade}}
| games_goals1 = {{0}}96 (68)
| years2 = 2013&ndash;2015
| club2 = {{AFL Ric}}
| games_goals2 = {{0|00}}6 {{0}}(7)
| games_goalstotal = 102 (75)
| careerhighlights = 
}}

'''Chris Knights''' (born 25 September 1986) is a former professional [[Australian rules football]]er who played for the [[Adelaide Football Club]] and [[Richmond Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL).

==AFL career==
Chris played his junior football with the Waverley Blues Football Club and also the [[Vermont Football Club]] before being selected to play for the [[Eastern Ranges]] in the [[TAC Cup]].<ref>[http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21704254-23211,00.html Hard slog pays off for Knights]</ref> Knights, a dual Victorian Metropolitan under-18 representative (2003/04),<ref name="afl2005p37">{{cite book|title=AFL 2005|editor=Lovett, Michael|year=2005|page=37|isbn=0-9580300-6-5}}</ref> was selected in the [[2004 AFL Draft]] by the [[Adelaide Football Club]] with the 56th selection.<ref name="afl2005p342">{{cite book|title=AFL 2005|editor=Lovett, Michael|year=2005|page=342|isbn=0-9580300-6-5}}</ref><!--Note: The AFL2005 book on page 37 and the Fox Sports reference above list his draft selection as 28, but this is incorrect, as the full list in the same AFL2005 book on page 342 and 436 has the correct info)-->

Knights was eased into the AFL system, playing just two games in the 2005 season and ten in 2006 before cementing his spot in the side in 2007, missing only one game.<ref>[[Emma Quayle|Quayle, Emma]] (14 June 2009) [http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/crows-flock-to-dangerfield-20091124-j38z.html Crows flock to Dangerfield]</ref>

Knights saw more action in 2007, developing into a midfielder and regularly featuring in Adelaide's best players on a regular basis. He racked up a career high 37 disposals in a game against Collingwood in round 15, earning the first [[Brownlow Medal]] votes of his career.<ref>{{AFL Tables|C/Chris_Knights}}</ref>

In round 7 of the 2009 season, Knights made a surprising move to the forward line. This move paid off, with Knights booting three and two goals respectively in losses against the [[Western Bulldogs]] and [[Brisbane Lions]], before managing bags of five, four and five in the Crows' impressive victories over [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]],<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/afl/story/0,26547,25549281-5016212,00.html Adelaide ace Chris Knights gets his kicks in Crows' attack]</ref> [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] and [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]].<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25691145-5016212,00.html How Chris Knights became goal-den boy]</ref> During this prolific period, Knights became the most accurate goalkicker in the AFL, having booted 21.3 from 24 scoring shots at that point of the 2009 season with an accuracy percentage of 87.5. 
On 25 September 2012, Knights left Adelaide. On 1 October 2012 Knights signed a contract with the [[Richmond Football Club]] during the free agency period.

Knights started off his first season at [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] well kicking 6 goals in his first 5 games. However, in round 7 against [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide]] at [[AAMI Stadium]], Knights hurt his knee which cost him his season.

In August 2015, Knights announced he would retire at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2015-08-27/knights-retires|title=Knights retires|date=27 August 2015|work=RichmondFC.com.au|publisher=[[Bigpond]]|accessdate=27 August 2015}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Chris is the Chief Executive and Founder of [https://zibdigital.com.au/ Zib Digital], a digital marketing company which operates in both Australia and New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet The Team |url=https://zibdigital.com.au/meet-the-team/ |accessdate= |publisher=Zib Digital}}</ref> Zib Digital was a top ten finalist in the 2014 Australian Startup Awards.<ref>{{cite web |title=AFL PLAYERS' 'FOOTBALLERS IN BUSINESS' EVENT |url=http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/afl-players-footballers-in-business-event/ |publisher=AFL Players Association |accessdate=3 August 2018}}</ref>

==Playing statistics==
:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Chris_Knights.html|title=Chris Knights|work=AFL Tables|accessdate=5 September 2016}}</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2005 AFL season|2005]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 4 || 10 || 3 || 1 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 2.0 || 5.0 || 1.5 || 0.5
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2006 AFL season|2006]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 10 || 1 || 3 || 67 || 65 || 132 || 31 || 20 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 6.7 || 6.5 || 13.2 || 3.1 || 2.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2007 AFL season|2007]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 22 || 5 || 12 || 276 || 239 || 515 || 123 || 60 || 0.2 || 0.5 || 12.5 || 10.9 || 23.4 || 5.6 || 2.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2008 AFL season|2008]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 16 || 4 || 3 || 201 || 132 || 333 || 79 || 51 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 12.6 || 8.3 || 20.8 || 4.9 || 3.2
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2009 AFL season|2009]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 20 || 43 || 25 || 187 || 165 || 352 || 95 || 63 || 2.2 || 1.3 || 9.4 || 8.3 || 17.6 || 4.8 || 3.2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2010 AFL season|2010]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 5 || 2 || 2 || 37 || 38 || 75 || 21 || 17 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 7.4 || 7.6 || 15.0 || 4.2 || 3.4
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2011 AFL season|2011]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 16 || 10 || 16 || 158 || 134 || 292 || 83 || 43 || 0.6 || 1.0 || 9.9 || 8.4 || 18.3 || 5.2 || 2.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2012 AFL season|2012]]
|{{AFL Ade}}
| 21 || 5 || 3 || 3 || 37 || 23 || 60 || 15 || 8 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 7.4 || 4.6 || 12.0 || 3.0 || 1.6
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2013 AFL season|2013]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 15 || 5 || 6 || 5 || 54 || 32 || 86 || 25 || 8 || 1.2 || 1.0 || 10.8 || 6.4 || 17.2 || 5.0 || 1.6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2014 AFL season|2014]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 15 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2015 AFL season|2015]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 15 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 3 || 1 || 4 || 1 || 3 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 4.0 || 1.0 || 3.0
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 102
! 75
! 69
! 1026
! 833
! 1859
! 476
! 274
! 0.7
! 0.7
! 10.1
! 8.2
! 18.2
! 4.7
! 2.7
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Richplayer}}
*{{AFL Tables|C/Chris_Knights}}
*[http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/922-chris-knights Chris Knights] at looktothestars.org

{{2004 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knights, Chris}}
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Adelaide Football Club players]]
[[Category:Richmond Football Club players]]
[[Category:Woodville-West Torrens Football Club players]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Eastern Ranges players]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]